Cabinet latch

ABSTRACT

A rotary cabinet latch including an L-shaped member, one end portion of which is rotatably and axially slidably received within a collar attachable to a workpiece, the outer end of this portion having a head with a spring interposed between the head and the collar to bias the L-shaped member in one direction.

United States Patent 1 Gulistan Dec. 30, 1975 CABINET LATCH [75] Inventor: Bulent Gulistan, Malibu, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Deutsch Fastener Corporation, Los

Angeles, Calif.

[22] Filed: Apr. 28, I975 21 Appl. No.: 572,070

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 409,152, Oct. 24, 1973,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 292/67 [51] Int. Cl. E05C 5/00 [58] Field of Search 292/57-64, 292/67-69, 204, 240, 241; 16/2; 24/221 K; 85/1 K; 151/69 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,822,110 9/1931 Raymond 292/60 3,346,032 10/1967 Gulistan 151/69 3,504,875 4/1970 Johnson 3,768,115 10/1973 Hoffmann 16/2 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 90,236 10/1957 Norway 292/67 922,303 3/1963 United Kingdom 292/61 Primary ExaminerRobert L. Wolfe Attorney, Agent, or FirmGausewitz, Carr & Rothenberg [57] ABSTRACT A rotary cabinet latch including an L-shaped member, one end portion of which is rotatably and axially slidably received within a collar attachable to a workpiece, the outer end of this portion having a head with a spring interposed between the head and the collar to bias the L-shaped member in one direction.

2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Dec. 30, 1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,929,360

FIG.2

FIG.3

US. Patent Dec. 30, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,929,360

CABINET LATCH This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 409,152, filed Oct. 24, 1973 and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention:

This invention pertains to a cabinet latch.

2. Description of Prior Art:

Rotary cabinet latches, such as those for electrical boxes, often have been complex, expensive to manufacture and difficult to install. Their grip lengths have SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a simplified cabinet latch, easily and economically manufactured and readily attached to the cabinet door. It has a substantial range of grip lengths in a single latch configuration, enabling the latch to accommodate different cabinet designs, in all instances tightly holding the door closed when in the locked position.

The latch consists of an L-shaped catch, one portion of which is rotatably and slidably received in a collar or bushing. A head at one end of the portion that passes through the collar enables the catch to be turned so that its angular end accomplishes the locking of the latch. A cup-shaped member has an inner end wall adjacent the head which is apertured and receives the catch. Circumscribing the catch between the collar and the inner wall of the cup-shaped member is a compression spring which biases the angular end toward the collar and allows the latch to have its range of grip lengths.

The collar may be made of metal and secured to the cabinet door by a snap ring, thereby providing grounding to meet UL requirements. Where grounding is not required, the collar advantageously is made of a deformable plastic, with a tapered end and an intermediate groove. This allows the collar to be pushed into an opening in the cabinet door so that the door at the periphery of the opening can then be received in the groove to secure the latch assembly to the door. Thus, installation is very easily accomplished.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the cabinet latch assembly;

. FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the cabinet latch;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the lock ring used in securing the latch assembly to a cabinet door;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the cabinet latch mounted on a cabinet door;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view, partially in section, showing the cabinet latch holding the cabinet door in the secured position;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view ofa modified form of the latch assembly; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the mounting collar of the modified cabinet latch.

The cabinet latch of this invention includes an L- shaped catch member 10, one end of which is circular in cross section, while the other end 12 is flattened. A collar 13 receives the portion 11 of the catch so that it is both rotatable and axially slidable relative to the collar. The flattened end 12, on the other hand, has a larger lateral dimension than the internal diameter of the collar 13, so that the end 12 cannot enter the collar. At one end of the collar 13 is an outwardly projecting flange 14. Spaced a short distance inwardly of the opposite end is an annular groove 15. All portions of the collar 13 are circular in cross section.

An integral head 16 is at the outer end of the portion 11 of the catch 10, the head being provided with a slot 17 to permit rotation by means of a screwdriver. Included on the head 16 is a marking 18 pointing in the direction of the angular end portion 12 of the catch 10. This marking provides an exterior indicator to establish when the latch is in the locked position. The head 16 and the angular flattened end 12 prevent removal of the portion 11 of the catch from the collar 13.

Adjacent the undersurface of the head 16 is a cupshaped member 19. The latter member has a central opening 20 in its inner wall 21 that receives the section 11 of the catch 10. A compression spring 22 circumscribes the portion 11 between the inner wall 21 of the cup-shaped member 19 and the outer end surface 23 of the collar 13. The internal dimension of the member 19 at its open end 24 is greater than the diameter of the flange 14 of the collar.

The latch device is associated with a door, which typically is the cover of an electrical box, as shown in FIG. 4. To this end, a circular opening 26, complementary to the central portion of the collar, is formed in the wall 27 of the door 28. The collar 13 is fitted into the opening 26, bringing the undersurface of the flange 14 into engagement with the outer surface of the wall 27 of the door 28. This positions the annular groove 15 on the opposite side of the wall 27. A snap ring retainer 30 is pressed into the groove 15, with its periphery projecting outwardly beyond the surface of the collar to cooperate with the flange 14 in holding the collar to the wall 27. The retainer 30 is C-shaped in plan, as shown in FIG. 3, and is deflected outwardly slightly as the collar is forced into its interior, then springing back to be held on the collar. When the collar 13 and door 28 are made of metal, a grounding connection can be made by these elements.

As shown in FIG. 5, the latch is in the locked position, holding the door 28 over the opening in a cabinet 32. In this position, the end 12 of the member 10 is positioned in back of a frame member 33 at the periphery of the opening in the cabinet. The catch 10 is moved inwardly so that the open end 24 of the cupshaped member 19 fits over the outer part of the flange 14, concealing the spring 22. At the same time, the forward edge 34 of the door bears against a gasket 35, which is carried by the member 33 of the cabinet at the edge of the opening. The latch is held in this position by the force exerted by the compression spring 22.

To assume the position of FIG. 5, the head 16 of the member 10 is pushed inwardly and rotated to cause the angular end 12 of the member 10 to move away from the edge 34 of the door. This enables the door to be moved to the closed position. Then the member 10 is rotated by the head 16 to position the end 12 in back of the member 33, as shown. Upon release of the head 16, the compression spring pushes outwardly, or to the left as the device is illustrated, on the abutment formed by the inner wall 21 of the cup-shaped member 19 and the head 16. This biases the end portion 12 against the frame member 33 of the cabinet 32. As a result, the edge 34 of the door, on the other side of the portion of the frame engaged by the catch end 12, is forced tightly against the gasket 35.

The spring, by holding the end 12 of the member against the member 33, provides a force resisting rotation of the member 10 so that it will be retained in its locked position. Nevertheless, it is a simple matter to engage the head 16 by a screwdriver at the slot 17 and rotate the catch 10 so as to release it.

Variations in grip length may be tolerated because of the ability of the catch member 10 to move axially relative to the collar 13 and the presence of the spring force to cause such movement. In other words, the spring 22 will move the end 12 of the catch toward the collar 13 to hold it in engagement with the edge of the door over a range of distance between the collar and the member 33.

The modification of FIGS. 6 and 7 utilizes a collar 37 of a deformable plastic material, such as nylon, and eliminates the need for the snap ring 30 to hold the collar to the door panel. The nylon collar 37 includes a flange 38 inwardly of one end, adjacent which is an annular groove 39. From the groove, there is a frustoconical portion 40 tapering toward the opposite end of the collar. The remaining components of the latch are the same as in the previously described embodiment. The compression spring 22 bears against the outer face of the flange 38, with the circumferential surface of the collar outwardly of the flange centering one end of the spring.

The collar 37 is installed in the door panel by pushing it through the opening in the panel. Thus, as in the construction of FIGS. 6 and 7, the apical end of the frustoconical portion 40 of the collar is dimensioned so that it can enter the opening 41 in the door panel 42. The collar 37 then is pushed into the opening 41, which deflects the material of the collar as the tapered surface is advanced. This permits the panel at the periphery of the opening 41 to enter the annular groove 39 of the collar. The material of the frustoconical portion 40 then returns to its free position, providing a radial surface at the edge of the groove 39 to cooperate with the flange 38 and hold the collar to the door panel 42.

The foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as given by way of illustration and example only, the spirit and scope of this invention being limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a door having a panel, said panel having an opening therethrough, a latch device for said door comprising a collar having an intermediate portion received in said opening,

a flange exteriorly of said opening at one end thereof overlapping and engaging one side of said panel,

an annular groove exteriorly of said opening at the opposite end thereof, and an aperture extending axially therethrough,

a snap ring having an inner portion received in said groove and an outer portion projecting beyond 4 said groove for engaging the opposite side of said panel and cooperating with said flange in holding said collar to said panel,

a one-piece substantially L-shaped member having a first portion extending through said aperture and a second portion at an angle to said first portion and positioned outwardly from said opposite side of said panel,

said first portion of said substantially L-shaped member being cylindrical and being substantially complementarily received in said aperture, so that said collar at said aperture guides said first portion for axial and rotational movement relative to said collar,

a head projecting laterally outwardly from the end of said first portion opposite from said second portion for providing a means for imparting rotation to said L-shaped member, said head having an undersurface facing said panel,

a cup-shaped member having an inner transverse wall having an opening receiving said first portion and in juxtaposition with said undersurface of said head, said head being entirely exteriorly of said cup-shaped member and beyond said inner transverse wall thereof, and a compression spring one end of which engages said inner wall of said cupshaped member and the opposite end of which engages the outer surface of said flange of said collar, for thereby biasing said cup-shaped member, said head and said L-shaped member to a first position where said head is spaced outwardly from said one side of said panel and said cup-shaped member is spaced outwardly from said flange of said collar with a portion of said compression spring being exposed between said cup-shaped member and said flange of said collar,

said substantially L-shaped member, head and cupshaped member being movable in opposition to said spring to a second position in which said head is relatively closer to said one side of said panel,

said cup-shaped member having a larger lateral dimension than that of said flange of said collar, whereby when said cup-shaped member is in said second position said flange of said collar is received in said cup-shaped member and said compression spring is concealed.

2. In combination with a door having a panel, said panel having an opening therethrough, a latch device for said door comprising a collar of deflectable plastic material having an intermediate portion received in said opening, a first flange exteriorly of one end of said opening overlapping and engaging one side of said panel,

a second flange of smaller outside diameter than said first flange exteriorly of the opposite end of said opening overlapping and engaging the opposite side of said panel, said second flange having a frustoconical circumferential surface convergent outwardly from said opposite side of said panel, for permitting said second flange to be forced through said opening so that said intermediate portion of said collar is so received in said opening,

and an aperture extending axiallytherethrough,

a one-piece substantially L-shaped member having a first portion extending through said aperture and a second portion at an angle to said first portion and positionedoutwardly from said opposite side of said panel, said first portion of said substantially L-shaped member being cylindrical and being substantially complementarily received in said aperture, so that said collar at said aperture guides said first portion for axial and rotational movement relative to said collar,

a head projecting laterally outwardly from the end of said first portion opposite from said second portion for providing a means for imparting rotation to said L-shaped member, said head having an undersurface facing said panel,

a cup-shaped member having an inner transverse wall having an opening receiving said first portion and in juxtaposition with said undersurface of said head, said head being entirely exteriorly of said cup-shaped member and beyond said inner transverse wall thereof, and a compression spring one end of which engages said inner wall of said cupshaped member and the opposite end of which engages the outer surface of said first flange of said collar,

for thereby biasing said cup-shaped member, said head and said L-shaped member to a first position where said head is spaced outwardly from said one side of said panel and said cup-shaped member is spaced outwardly from said first flange of said collar with a portion of said compression spring being exposed between said cupshaped member and said first flange of said collar,

said substantially L-shaped member, head and cupshaped member being movable in opposition to said spring to a second position in which said head is relatively closer to said one side of said panel,

said cup-shaped member having a larger lateral dimension than that of said first flange of said collar, whereby when said cup-shaped member is in said second position said first flange of said collar is received in said cup-shaped member and said compression spring is concealed. 

1. In combination with a door having a panel, said panel having an opening therethrough, a latch device for said door comprising a collar having an intermediate portion received in said opening, a flange exteriorly of said opening at one end thereof overlapping and engaging one side of said panel, an annular groove exteriorly of said opening at the opposite end thereof, and an aperture extending axially therethrough, a snap ring having an inner portion received in said groove and an outer portion projecting beyond said groove for engaging the opposite side of said panel and cooperating with said flange in holding said collar to said panel, a one-piece substantially L-shaped member having a first portion extending through said aperture and a second portion at an angle to said first portion and positioned outwardly from said opposite side of said panel, said first portion of said substantially L-shaped member being cylindrical and being substantially complementarily received in said aperture, so that said collar at said aperture guides said first portion for axial and rotational movement relative to said collar, a head projecting laterally outwardly from the end of said first portion opposite from said second portion for providing a means for imparting rotation to said L-shaped member, said head having an undersurface facing said panel, a cup-shaped member having an inner transverse wall having an opening receiving said first portion and in juxtaposition with said undersurface of said head, said head being entirely exteriorly of said cup-shaped member and beyond said inner transverse wall thereof, and a compression spring one end of which engages said inner wall Of said cup-shaped member and the opposite end of which engages the outer surface of said flange of said collar, for thereby biasing said cup-shaped member, said head and said L-shaped member to a first position where said head is spaced outwardly from said one side of said panel and said cup-shaped member is spaced outwardly from said flange of said collar with a portion of said compression spring being exposed between said cup-shaped member and said flange of said collar, said substantially L-shaped member, head and cup-shaped member being movable in opposition to said spring to a second position in which said head is relatively closer to said one side of said panel, said cup-shaped member having a larger lateral dimension than that of said flange of said collar, whereby when said cup-shaped member is in said second position said flange of said collar is received in said cup-shaped member and said compression spring is concealed.
 2. In combination with a door having a panel, said panel having an opening therethrough, a latch device for said door comprising a collar of deflectable plastic material having an intermediate portion received in said opening, a first flange exteriorly of one end of said opening overlapping and engaging one side of said panel, a second flange of smaller outside diameter than said first flange exteriorly of the opposite end of said opening overlapping and engaging the opposite side of said panel, said second flange having a frustoconical circumferential surface convergent outwardly from said opposite side of said panel, for permitting said second flange to be forced through said opening so that said intermediate portion of said collar is so received in said opening, and an aperture extending axially therethrough, a one-piece substantially L-shaped member having a first portion extending through said aperture and a second portion at an angle to said first portion and positioned outwardly from said opposite side of said panel, said first portion of said substantially L-shaped member being cylindrical and being substantially complementarily received in said aperture, so that said collar at said aperture guides said first portion for axial and rotational movement relative to said collar, a head projecting laterally outwardly from the end of said first portion opposite from said second portion for providing a means for imparting rotation to said L-shaped member, said head having an undersurface facing said panel, a cup-shaped member having an inner transverse wall having an opening receiving said first portion and in juxtaposition with said undersurface of said head, said head being entirely exteriorly of said cup-shaped member and beyond said inner transverse wall thereof, and a compression spring one end of which engages said inner wall of said cup-shaped member and the opposite end of which engages the outer surface of said first flange of said collar, for thereby biasing said cup-shaped member, said head and said L-shaped member to a first position where said head is spaced outwardly from said one side of said panel and said cup-shaped member is spaced outwardly from said first flange of said collar with a portion of said compression spring being exposed between said cup-shaped member and said first flange of said collar, said substantially L-shaped member, head and cup-shaped member being movable in opposition to said spring to a second position in which said head is relatively closer to said one side of said panel, said cup-shaped member having a larger lateral dimension than that of said first flange of said collar, whereby when said cup-shaped member is in said second position said first flange of said collar is received in said cup-shaped member and said compression spring is concealed. 